Support Pro-Bike Bills in VA House

[Allen J. Muchnick]

SUPPORT SB 252 AND SB 101 IN VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES

SB 252 (Deeds) and SB 101 (Devolites), two bills that would improve
bicycling conditions in Virginia, will be heard by the Transportation
Committee in the Virginia House of Delegates this Tuesday and need *your*
support TODAY.  Both bills have already been passed by the Virginia Senate
(with amendments) and are now before the House.  Please email, phone, or
fax your delegate and nearby members of the House Transportation Committee
in support of these bills *today* (see contact info below).

A short and simple request to please support SB 252 and SB 101 should be
sufficient.  Delegates must hear that these bills are widely supported, so
please act promptly and forward this alert widely.  During business hours,
you can leave a brief phone message for your delegate with the Constituent
Viewpoint Hotline, 1-800-889-0229 (or 804-698-1990), only knowing your
address. To identify and contact your delegate, use the "Who's My
Legislator" tool at <http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy/constinput.asp>. 
If you already know your delegate's last name or House District number,
send email using <del_lastname at house.state.va.us> or phone their office at
804-698-10XX, where XX is their House District number.  The main fax
number for delegates is 804-786-6310.

Please act promptly. If these bills are approved (reported out) by the
House Transportation Committee on Tuesday afternoon, the full House of
Delegates will vote on these bills this week.  Bill summaries follow.  For
more and updated information, go to <http://leg1.state.va.us/>.

******

SB 252, Operation of Bicycles and Similar Vehicles (Deeds), would amend
six sections of the Code of Virginia regarding the
operation of bicycles and similar vehicles to 1) clarify a two-foot
minimum safe passing distance for (motor) vehicles (Sec. 46.2-838); 2)
allow bicyclists to signal right turns and stopping with either the right
or left arm (Sec. 46.2-849); 3) allow bicyclists to ride two abreast when
not impeding "the normal and reasonable movement of traffic" (Sec.
46.2-905); 4) remove the authority for local mandatory sidepath ordinances
(Sec. 46.2-905); 5) cite the current (CPSC) helmet safety standard in the
section (46.2-906.1) that allows local bicycle helmet ordinances; 6)
direct that all transportation on wheels move with (not against) other
traffic (Sec. 46.2-932); and 7) allow (steady or blinking) lights and
reflectors, in addition to a white headlight and a red rear reflector, for
bicycling between sunset and sunrise (Sec. 46.2-1015).  The Virginia
Senate passed this bill (40-0) on 2/6/04 with minor amendments.

*****

SB 101, Pedestrians (Devolites), would amend Sections 46.2-923 and
46.2-924 of the Code of Virginia, relating to pedestrians crossing
highways, to require drivers to stop for--not merely yield to--pedestrians
in crosswalks, when necessary.  SB 101 would also benefit bicyclists
crossing highways on sidewalks or shared-use paths. The similar SB 451
(Whipple), which also passed the Senate, has been merged with SB 101 as
one bill.  A similar bill, HB 539 (May), died in the House last week
because some delegates opposed requiring drivers to stop for pedestrians
in crosswalks when necessary. 

*****

OPPOSE SB 670: You might also ask delegates to oppose SB 670 (Newman),
which would require VDOT to build a bypass for U.S. Route 29 around
Charlottesville.  Defeating SB 670 is a priority for the Virginia
Conservation Network, a broad coalition of environmental organizations
that includes VBF.

SB 670 undermines the authority of local officials and MPOs to develop
transportation alternatives and sets a dangerous precedent by trying to
override decisions of the CTB and VDOT.  Unwanted, ineffective, and
sprawl-inducing highways should not be forced upon localities that oppose
them.  Charlottesville area delegates (Van Yahres, Bell, Landes, and
Watkins) oppose this legislation.

VDOT estimates that the proposed 6-mile western bypass would cost over $40
million per mile, making this one of the most costly highway boondoggles
in Virginia history.   Taxpayers for Common Sense lists the Rte 29 Bypass
among the most wasteful highway projects in the U.S.  Moreover, the
project would not fix traffic congestion; unlike a true bypass, it would
begin and end in congestion.  VDOT's own studies show gridlock along the
corridor by 2010, even with the Bypass. The Bypass would only reduce
travel times for a small number of through drivers and by only a few
minutes.

State, local, and private funding is already targeting better and most
cost-effective alternatives, including creating grade-separated
interchanges at the most congested intersections for much less than $240
million.  Because of cost and lack of effectiveness, the CTB dropped the
Bypass from its Six Year Improvement Program and is pursuing other
improvements.

The bill would divert scarce dollars from more critical highway needs
throughout Virginia and from more cost-effective improvements to the 29
corridor.  Additional information on this bill is on the SELC website
<http://www.southernenvironment.org> and the League of
Conservation Voters website
<http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/route29bypass>.

*****

House Transportation Committee Members from Northern Virginia
Main Fax No. for House is (804) 786-6310

Delegate Joe T. May, (804) 698-1033, 
Del_May at house.state.va.us, Leesburg

Delegate Richard H. Black, (804) 698-1032, 
Del_Black at house.state.va.us, Sterling

Delegate Thomas Davis Rust, (804) 698-1086,
Del_TRust at house.state.va.us, Herndon

Delegate Timothy D. Hugo, (804) 698-1040, 
Del_Hugo at house.state.va.us, Centreville

Delegate Brian J. Moran, (804) 698-1046
Del_Moran at house.state.va.us,  Alexandria

Delegate Adam P. Ebbin, (804) 698-1049,
Del_Ebbin at house.state.va.us, Arlington

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Allen Muchnick, President
Virginia Bicycling Federation
PO Box 5621, Arlington VA 22205
muchnick at capaccess.org
703-271-0895
http://vabike.org